Complementarianism

From Theopedia

Complementarianism is the theological view that although men and women are created equal in their being and personhood, yet they are created to complement each other via different roles in life and in the church. It is rooted in a literal interpretation of the creation account and the roles of men and women presented in Scripture. It is usually characterized by :

1. belief that God designed marriage to reflect the relationship of Jesus Christ and the Church
2. belief that only men should be appointed into authoritative positions of leadership in the church
3. belief that a Christian wife should submit to her husband as the church submits to Christ
4. belief that a Christian husband should love his wife as Christ loved the church
5. a generally patriarchal view of the family (the father is responsible to lead, provide for, teach his children to know and love God) as found in Scripture.

The opposing view to Complementarianism is Egalitarianism which maintains that the patriarchal patterns in the Bible are culturally bound and that there no inherent distinction in roles between men and women to be maintained today. Egalitarianism sees no acceptable equality in a hierarchy of roles between men and women.

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[edit] Relevant Passages

• Eph 5:21-33
• 1 Tim 2:12-15
• 1 Pet 3:1-6

[edit] See also

• Manhood and Womanhood
• Headship

[edit] External links

• Council on Biblical Manhood and Womanhood, (links to downloadable conference audio in Mp3)
• A Summary of the Complementarian Position, a summary of chapter 1 of the book "Evangelical Feminism and Biblical Truth" (blog)
• The Biblical Position on Women's Roles, text from a booklet by John Macarthur
• "Husbands Who Love Like Christ and the Wives Who Submit to Them", manuscript of sermon by John Piper (Mp3 also downloadable)
• Recovering Biblical Manhood and Womanhood, edited by John Piper and Wayne Grudem (downloadable as pdf)